Crazy Little Thing Called Love
by potterheadjazz
Summary: FrostIron (Loki/Tony) Slash. Both similarly misunderstood in their own worlds, Tony and Loki have formed an unlikely bond, much to the dismay of the other Avengers. The rifts through the group are putting increasing pressure on the relationship between god and mortal - but can the relationship ride it out? WARNINGS: Slash, smut, angst, bloody violence and language.
1. They Are In Love

_"The lion sleeps with the lamb,  
Only love lets me forget who I really am." **They Are in Love, David Byrne. **_

* * *

Tony Stark awoke to fingers dancing along his bare torso. The touch was gossamer light and loving – but, for first thing in the morning, it was annoying all the same.

With a groan, he rolled over to face the other way.

"Stop it, Lo," he mumbled into the pillow.

"When you said you love sleeping, you really meant it, didn't you?" the skinny god said, and Tony could hear the smirk in his voice.

"Don't," Tony groaned, shrugging off the long-fingered hand. "I mean it, Lo. 'S too early."

"Anthony, it's half past one in the afternoon," Loki replied curtly. Tony's eyes snapped open and flashed to the clock on the bedside table. Seven a.m.

"God damn it, Loki!" Tony groaned, covering his face with a pillow. Loki was laughing raucously beside him.

"Oh, come on. You're awake now," Loki jabbed his slender fingers into Tony's ribcage, grinning down at him.

"I will never understand how I ended up with a morning person," Tony sighed heavily, shivering slightly when Loki's cool fingers found the arc reactor.

"It's not a matter of being a morning person, Anthony. It's a matter of you staying up to the small hours while I sleep at a decent time," Loki commented. "Now come _on_. Wake up. I will tickle you, don't test me."

"Okay, okay! I'm up," Tony moved the pillow and looked up at the raven-haired man - glared really. "God, you're annoying."

"I do try, my dear," Loki grinned, leaning down to press a gentle kiss to the mortal man's lips.

How this has started, neither one of them really knew. It was in neither man's nature to love, nor to show care and compassion so openly.

But Loki had come back down to Earth with Thor for rehabilitation – namely staying at Stark Towers with the Avengers. He'd spent the first couple of months locked in a cell in the basement, surprisingly compliant with being there. Tony, with his natural curiosity, had a tendency to wander and often ended up in the basement talking to demigod; at first, these 'conversations' were simply sarcastic exchanges of cynicisms and insults. But, slowly, they'd started to actually _talk_. About things they could both relate to; deep-seated daddy issues and growing up as an outcast and generally being misunderstood. And they found something strange – in each other's company, they _weren't _misunderstood. Despite the differences of context, the differences of _realms, _the two men understood each other completely.

And now, weeks later, here they were. Loki was no longer confined to the basement; he shared Tony's bed now. The other Avengers (with the obvious exception of Thor) were severely displeased about this; Fury and Barton displayed outright rage, often glowering at Loki, even threatening him when they thought Tony couldn't hear. Bruce was better at hiding his feelings – indeed, even he managed to smile at the God of Mischief when he saw how excited the slim man got about Science. Steve was downright terrified, though he did well to put up his usual courteous front, more for Tony's sake than anything. And Natasha? She was mostly indifferent, though she was often on edge and jumpy around Loki. But Tony didn't care what the others said. He was fond of Reindeer Games, it was true. They laughed together and they were almost on the same intellectual wavelength and by God, the sex was amazing.

Even Loki, whose heart had been impenetrable since childhood, had to admit that he was beginning to fall for the mortal. He liked the way Anthony understood his passion for magic and Science, how Anthony understood his mental state. Even the silly little things the man did made him happy; the way he smiled when their eyes met, the way they fit so perfectly into each other's arms, the way that Anthony's hair smelled. Damn, he even loved the stupid nickname Tony had given him. If anyone else had ever dared call him _Lo _then he'd probably snap their neck like a twig. But there was something about the way it sounded in Tony's mouth that was appealing.

"Come on," Loki broke the kiss, tickling Tony lightly under the chin. "Time to get up."

Tony scowled. Waking up before the sun was one thing. But leaving the warmth of his bed was on another level entirely. Even if it was for Loki. The latter, Tony saw now that he was awake, was fully dressed, sitting cross-legged on the edge of the bed. He smirked down at Tony.

"Now really, Anthony. Is it really such a bad thing for me to want to spend time with my boyfriend without my brother and your friends intruding on us?" he asked, stroking Tony's cheek. He couldn't help smiling at the casual way Loki used the word _boyfriend. _"I thought we could have breakfast together."

"Well fuck me sideways, Loki Laufeyson, God of Mischief and Lies, being _romantic,_" Tony laughed, drawing a scowl from the raven-haired man. "Alright. Just give me a couple of minutes to get dressed and I'll come join you."

Loki said nothing, simply smiled briefly and padded on bare feet towards the kitchen.

* * *

**A/N: **This is my first attempt at FrostIron, or any kind of Avengers slash, so go easy on me. And don't worry, we're not having soppy Loki the whole time (sorry, I just really don't like soppy, self-sympathetic Loki. Sorry!) only when he's around Tony will we see this side of him lol. So anyway. Favourite, follow, rate, review! Just let me know what you think. All constructive criticism welcome!


	2. Somebody Like You

_"I'm letting go of all my lonely yesterdays,  
__I've forgiven myself for all the mistakes I made,  
__Now there's just one thing, the only thing I wanna do,  
__I wanna love somebody, love somebody like you."_  
_**Somebody Like You, Keith Urban**_

* * *

A good twenty minutes later, a much fresher looking Tony appeared in the kitchen.

He found Loki perched on the edge of the counter, reading – as usual – and swinging his impossibly long legs absent-mindedly. There was something beautifully childlike in the motion, something gorgeously innocent in the way the lean man's brow puckered with concentration. He hadn't yet combed his hair, so several soft ebony tresses fell forwards to frame the pale face. He tucked them behind his ear, a simple gesture – and yet so endearing.

"I don't think you realise how sexy you are," Tony said, in way of a greeting. Loki smiled, his eyes leaving the page for a second.

"Good morning to you too," he said, dog-earing the page and setting the book down on the counter beside him. "I'll be honest, Anthony, I'm astonished you've managed to make yourself so presentable at this hour."

"Oh, so you get sexy and I get presentable?" Tony smiled. "That's fair. Thanks honey."

"You're welcome," Loki grinned. "I made coffee." He gestured at the jug to his left and Tony noticed a red mark on his hand.

"Still haven't got the hang of the coffee machine, then?" he rubbed it, then kissed it gently.

"It's odd," Loki blushed gently. "You Midgardians _do _have some strange contraptions."

"Don't worry about it," Tony put a hand on either side of Loki's waist. "You're doing better than Thor. He couldn't even turn it on for almost a month."

"That's not overly reassuring," Loki's hands came to rest on Tony's shoulder's. "Aside from physical strength, I'm better than my brother at most things."

"So humble, Lo. One of your many adorable qualities," Tony said. Loki laughed.

"Yes, Anthony, because you with your immense modesty are someone to call other people on their humility," he said.

"Shut up, you love it," Tony stroked his hands gently down Loki's thighs, provoking a small shiver and a seductive grin.

"I do," Loki whispered, leaning in to meet Tony's lips in a passionate kiss….

"Uh… morning, fellas," a voice behind Tony said, and they broke apart suddenly.

Tony grinned and Loki glared at Steve Rogers, still in his night shirt and pyjama pants. He was the only current occupant of Stark Towers who woke up as early as Loki did – but since Loki was usually content with watching Tony sleep, they very rarely had these early-morning meetings.

"Good morning Steve," Tony was a little embarrassed; usually he didn't care if one of his friends caught him in a compromising position with someone else – indeed Fury and Thor often congratulated him on the calibre of women he brought home – but Steve was something different. He was doing well to accept the modern world and to be opened minded, but his old fashioned morals disapproved of Tony's attitudes to sex. Particularly with Loki. He wasn't a bigot, nor a homophobe, not in the slightest. But he was from a different time. He was unaccustomed to two men being so openly affectionate with each other. Tony respected that, and tried his best to be conservative in the Captain's company. Loki, on the other hand, tried his best to be the exact _opposite _of conservative; perching on Tony's lap, running hands through his hair and over his body, kissing his face and neck and collarbones.

"D'you er… can I get you a cup of coffee?" Tony offered, in way of breaking the tense silence that hung around the room.

"Sure. Thanks," Steve sat at the table, smiling at Tony but flashing wary glances at Loki constantly. The latter simply flashed the Captain a sly smile, before going back to his book. "So…uh…Tony. Wasn't expecting to see you up so early."

"Yeah, well, apparently somebody doesn't want me to get my beauty sleep," Tony said, putting a mug in front of Steve.

"Well you hardly _need _it," Loki stated, not looking up from his book. Tony blushed and turned away, facing Steve.

"So. How are you doing?" he asked.

"Fine, thanks. I uh… Thor was talking about going for a walk in Central Park later," Steve cleared his throat. "I might join him. I mean, I don't think letting him go out in the city alone is a good idea. We might lose him." He paused to laugh. Then his eyes flickered between the couple. "You could join us… both of you… y'know. If you want."

"Thanks, but no thanks," Tony said. "I've got some important research to do. I'm on the brink of a breakthrough, I'm sure of it."

"Oh. Okay. Well… um… Loki?" Steve looked more uncomfortable than Tony had ever seen him. Loki looked up, meeting Steve's eye with a frown.

"A walk with you and my brother? I can think of nothing more torturous, Steven," he remarked. Steve didn't say anything, but he blushed. Tony tutted.

"Play nice, Lo," he hissed, leaning into the demigod's ear.

"I _don't_ play nice, Anthony, you should know that by now," Loki replied, making no effort to keep his voice down.

"It is true," Thor boomed, entering in the kitchen. "He used to cheat at hide-and-seek when we were children."

"I didn't cheat, Thor, I simply won every time," Loki commented haughtily.

"Hiding yourself for three days with magic is cheating, brother," Thor laughed, giving the younger man a gentle shove.

"Or excellent tactics," Loki shoved him back. "It's all a matter of perspective, really."

"You truly do have an answer for everything, don't you?" Thor laughed, a sound far too loud and far too bright for the time of morning (to Tony, at least.)

With a tight smile, Loki sprang from his perch on the counter, landing with catlike grace on the balls of his feet.

"I'm going to have a shower," he announced, flouncing out of the room.

"Hey, I'll come with," Tony followed after him, ignoring the over-protective-older-brother look that Thor gave him as he did so.

When Tony caught up to him in the bathroom, Loki turned and sighed.

"So much for romantic," he said.

"I'm sorry, Lo," Tony touched his arm. Loki shrugged.

"It isn't your fault," he said. "My brother never really did understand the concept of privacy. And as for Rogers, I suppose I can't complain. It _is _fun to make him squirm."

"Asshole," Tony laughed. Loki quirked one eyebrow.

"Really. Out of all the things I've done, mocking your friend is what makes me an asshole?" he smirked.

"Yeah, pretty much," Tony shrugged. "Now come on. How about that shower?"


	3. You Don't Know How It Feels

_"You don't know how it feels,  
__To be me."  
**You Don't Know How It Feels, Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers**  
_

* * *

The beautiful thing about Stark Towers was that it was so large, if one didn't want to spend time with other occupants, they were easily avoided.

Loki preferred to spend his time hidden away in the library, or shut in what had become he and Tony's room with a good book. There were plenty of them in Stark Towers; the library was so vast and had so many shelves hidden in nooks and crannies and crevices that Loki was never short of reading material. Sometimes Thor would seek him out, but there was never much conversation between the two brothers. Occasionally, Loki would stumble across one or more of Tony's comrades. Those exchanges were brief and sarcastic and sharp, unless it was Banner – on occasion they'd have short conversations about something Loki had learned from a book or the research Banner was currently executing – but even those were coldly formal, more professional that friendly. Loki would generally get bored around mid-afternoon, when he would wander down to Tony's workshop. They didn't often speak much; Loki enjoyed to sit cross-legged and watch the shorter man tinker with some contraption or other, his brow furrowing while he concentrated, his face cracking into a grin when he finally achieved whatever it was he was trying to achieve.

Incidentally, today was one of the days where Thor came looking for conversation. He found Loki cross-legged on the floor of the library, books and notes spread in a circle around him, chewing thoughtfully on the end of a pencil as he read a heavy leather-bound book in front of him. Thor was careful not to tread on any of his brother's jottings. He'd learned the hard way that this was probably the best way to grate Loki's nerves. He sat in a similar position on the other side of Loki's ring of knowledge. Loki looked up briefly, frowning, then went back to his work.

"How are you, brother?" Thor asked, never able to be patient and quiet.

"Working," Loki replied, but Thor refused to take the hint.

"What are you studying? It looks most tedious," Thor frowned at a sheet of equations and numbers.

"Astrophysics. It's not tedious," Loki huffed. "That damned girl you are so fond of doesn't seem to think so, anyway – this is what she studies."

"Do not speak ill of Jane," Thor warned, though there was no threat to his voice. "What she explained to me as her studies was something beautiful, about the stars and the planets in this solar system – not… this... not… numbers."

"It _is _beautiful, Thor. This," Loki indicated his notes. "Is extended beyond just _this _solar system. Do you not remember the stories Heimdall would tell us when we were young? They were what the mortals would call astrophysics, though of course beyond human understanding. It's amazing – the numbers and equations you criticize so readily can explain everything, applied in the right context. They explain how the Bifrost works and how and why the Convergence happens and… there's just this one thing… I just can't work it out… perhaps Anthony would be able to help…" he was talking more to himself than Thor now, but the older man still continued.

"You are taken with the Man of Iron," Thor remarked, earning him a withering look.

"Yes," Loki said, curtly.

"And for all you mocked me for being taken with a mortal," Thor teased, with a smirk. Loki scowled.

"Anthony is different," he insisted.

"Why?" Thor wanted to know. "What does Stark have that Jane does not?"

"Really? Must I really go into the basics of anatomy with you? I thought you more intelligent than that…" Loki began, trying to change the subject. Now it was Thor's turn to frown.

"That is not what I meant, and you know it," he said. "You have always made your dislike of mortals quite clear. What is so different about the Man of Iron that you should be so infatuated with him?"

Loki just shrugged, pretending to not pay attention. He read the same line in the book over and over, and still did not feel Thor's burning gaze leave him.

"Tony is different," Loki said, quietly. "Because… because he's just that. Different. He makes me laugh, we share the same sense of humour. And I can hold an intellectual conversation with him, something uncommon in mortals – even in Asgardians. And… and he understands."

"What does he understand?" Thor said, softly. It was rare he saw this side of his brother – the soft, vulnerable side, the readily caring and affectionate side. Usually the only person who saw this was Frigga. Loki sighed heavily, a sad, weary noise that said more than his words ever would.

"He understands _me, _Thor," Loki said, swallowing. "He does not pretend my flaws do not exist, but he doesn't characterise me on those alone. He accepts both my shortcomings and strengths. I'm not perfect, Thor, I know I'm not. And Tony doesn't mind that. He doesn't expect perfection from me, one of the first people I've met who thinks that way. And… and the way he looks at me… the way he holds me and kisses me and touches me… he makes me feel good. He makes me feel _beautiful_."

There was quiet between the two men for a while. Loki mentally cursed himself for showing such weakness and vulnerability, and began to hastily gather his things.

"Loki. Brother…" Thor began.

"I'm going to bed," Loki told him, shortly, before heading out of the library and up to Tony's bedroom.

* * *

He found the mortal man waiting for him, sitting cross-legged on the bed. He smiled, though there was a definite sad look in his eyes.

"Hey, Lo," he said, softly. "C'mere. Come sit down."

Loki took a seat next to the smaller man, and Tony began to kiss his neck.

"I heard all that, what you said to Thor," Tony said. "It was lovely."

"Have you been spying on me?" Loki asked, but there was no anger to his voice – it was just a question, not a demand.

"Only 'cause I can't get enough of seeing your pretty face," Tony chuckled.

Loki said nothing. One hand came up to mesh in Tony's hair, the other resting on his thigh. Tony smiled, his lips at Loki's collarbone now.

"I actually thought that's what Thor was coming to talk to you about. You and I, I mean," he said. "I got _the talk _earlier."

"The talk?" Loki repeated. "What talk? What about?"

"_You _know," Tony smirked, peering at Loki's face. "The standard over-protective big brother talk. I believe his exact words were _'my brother is quite taken with you and I have no qualms – truly, I am happy for you. But know this, Man of Iron – if you ever break Loki's heart, the consequences will be most severe.' _Basically 'if you hurt my baby brother, I'll break your legs.'"

"Oh dear Lord," Loki rolled his eyes. "I apologise for him. I do not think he realises that I am most capable of standing up for myself. Sometimes I get the notion he still thinks me a child."

"Yeah. Right. Hey, how old _are _you exactly?" Tony was curious. He knew there was a three-year age gap between the brothers, but then, he didn't know how old Thor was either.

"How old do I look?" was Loki's reply, smirk in place, one eyebrow raised.

"Uh… I dunno…" Tony studied him. "Twenty-seven?"

"Then we'll go with twenty-seven," Loki chuckled. They were now lying, entwined in each other's arms on the bed.

"I actually thought Thor was going to kill me at one point," Tony chuckled. "I uh… I might have made a comment… something about the shower this morning."

"Oh, and let me guess," Loki smiled. "He got mad because how dare you _defile _me in such a way."

"Pretty much," Tony nodded. It was odd really; all of the shit Loki had done – mass murder to say the least – and Thor was still shocked at the idea of his baby brother having sex. It was an odd notion, to think of Loki as innocent and pure, when Tony knew so well to the contrary. Loki was truly the best sexual partner he'd had, so responsive, so elegant in his movements, so _open-minded. _Tony had been almost shy when he'd regaled some of his fetishes to the dark-haired demigod, but Loki was more than willing to be spanked or to wear leather handcuffs. And he managed to hold his regal dignity through it all. It was one of the most beautiful things about him, his ability to stay dignified.

"I love you, Lo," Tony whispered, and Loki smiled.

"And _I_ love_ you_, Anthony," he whispered.


	4. Cocaine Blues

_"Come on you've gotta listen too me,  
Lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be."  
**Cocaine Blues, Johnny Cash.**  
_

* * *

Loki woke in the middle of the night to find that Ton wasn't in bed.

It wasn't an uncommon occurrence; indeed, Tony was something of an insomniac, and he disappeared almost every night. Very occasionally, he'd go down to the workshop and fiddle with a computer system or play with some gadget or other until it simply became tiresome. However, Loki knew where he was more likely to find the mortal.

Sure enough, the small mortal was leaning against the bar, drinking from a large tumbler of whiskey. He grinned, putting the glass down and holding a hand out to the taller man.

"Hey, baby," he said. Loki's nose crinkled.

"You're drunk," he commented.

"No, no, not yet," Tony laughed. "Getting there, though. Definitely getting there."

"Charming," Loki sighed.

"Come on, you have a drink too. Let's get drunk together," Tony suggested.

"No, thank you," Loki shook his head, black hair tumbling around his shoulders. "I don't really enjoy being shitfaced as much as you do."

"Shitfaced?" Tony repeated, with a snort. "Where did you learn _shitfaced_?"

"Picked it up," Loki shrugged one shoulder. "Are you coming back to bed then? Or am I wasting my time?"

"You're not wasting your time, darling, not with me," Tony slurred. "Never."

"Oh, for the love of the Nine, do you really _like _being this drunk?" Loki scoffed. "Do you really get _pleasure _from it?"

"Hey, fuck you," Tony shot back. "I don't tell you how to live your life, you don't tell me how to live mine."

"You _do _tell me how to live my life, Anthony," Loki reminded him. Tony ignored him, pouring another glass of whiskey. Loki rolled his eyes, going over to the bar. "How long have you been here?"

"I dunno… what time is it? An hour. Maybe two," Tony slurred.

"You drink too much," Loki said.

"Or maybe you don't drink enough," was the reply. "Let your hair down, Lo. C'mon. Have a drink with me. Hey fuck it being just a drink. Let's have a party, just you and me, huh? Hey JARVIS, let's have some music, huh?" Banging rock music blared over the room's sound system and Tony started to dance clumsily.

"Oh, for goodness sake," Loki rolled his eyes, but poured a glass of wine.

"There we go. Atta boy," Tony said, earning him a withering look. "I don't see what your problem is with drinking. If you think this is bad, you should try snorting coke."

"I have," Loki replied, matter-of-factly. "Didn't see the appeal. It didn't seem to have much effect on me."

Tony looked impressed, then he laughed. "Wow. You've done cocaine. Proud of you," he ruffled the inky black looks, earning him a glare that could freeze hell over. "Sorry, babe. You _do _kinda look hot with your hair all mussed, though. Kinda… wild child, you know?"

"You don't know what you're talking about. You're drunk," Loki rolled his eyes, but a pink blush tinged his cheeks.

"Doesn't mean you're not gorgeous," Tony slung an arm around Loki's waist, pulling him close.

"Get off!" Loki struggled, but not too much. "You reek of alcohol, Anthony."

"That's 'cause I've drunk a lot of it," Tony said, setting his glass on the bar behind him so he could fold both arms around Loki. The demigod didn't return the hug, but he didn't shy away either. "Are you mad at me, Lo?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Loki scoffed. "You've seen me mad. You'd know if I was angry with you."

"So why are you being so… off?" Tony pouted.

"I'm not," Loki frowned.

"Yeah you are," Tony insisted. "What've I done? Tell me?"

"You haven't done _anything _Anthony," Loki was looking borderline confused now.

"I have, I can tell. But whatever. Don't tell me. I can still make it up to you," he smirked, leaning in for a kiss.

"If this is your way of trying to get into my pants, it's clumsy and not at all seductive," Loki grumbled, though he kissed back. Tony mock-frowned, pretending to sulk.

"Oh, so I have to _try _to seduce you now?" he raised one eyebrow and Loki smirked back.

"But of course," he replied coolly. "I wouldn't want you to think me an easy lay now, would I? If you want me, you're going to have to work for me, my sweet."

Tony looked taken aback for a second. Then he grinned wide.

"Shut the fuck up and take your shirt off," Tony said. Loki rolled his eyes but did so, shedding the thin, navy blue night shirt with one swift movement. Tony was clumsier, his Black Sabbath tee-shirt tangling momentarily with his hair before he managed to drop it to ground. He kicked it into the corner of the room, then continued the kiss.

The moment became heated, and the two men ended up in a most compromising position; god pushing mortal backwards until they lay on the bar, Tony beneath Loki, hands twining in soft ebony hair. He tugged gently and Loki moaned softly into his mouth. The demigod's own hands trailed downwards, over his bared and tanned torso, finding the buttons and zipper on the impossibly tight jeans and wrestling them open with more effort than was probably necessarily. Slender fingers slid under clingy denim and…

"Stark! Natasha has shown me the humorous thing, you simply must… oh," Thor was in the doorway, the expression on his face a mixture of startled, disgusted, upset and angry. Loki sat up, scowling, but Tony simply burst out laughing.

"Oh my god!" he howled. "You should see your _face _right now, big guy. It's priceless."

"Ignore him, he's drunk," Loki advised, retrieving his shirt and pulling it over his head. "What are you doing up at this hour? Surely you're usually in bed at this time?"

"Natasha was showing me humorous videos on the MyTube," Thor informed him. "You usually sleep a full night."

"Yes. Well," Loki cleared his throat a little awkwardly. "As is obvious, I was otherwise occupied."

"Um. Yes. I see that," Thor said, and the awkward tension made Tony laugh even harder. Loki groaned and rubbed his temples.

"For Heaven's sake, Anthony, will you just go to bed?" he snapped.

"Not without you, Hot Stuff," Tony slurred in what was obviously supposed to be a seductive voice. He swung himself round into a sitting position, stumbled to his feet – then gagged and vomited all over the floor, before collapsing at the table and falling asleep.

"You know, his charms never cease to amaze me," Loki mumbled, rubbing his forehead. Thor smiled.

"The Man of Iron talks as if he is a hardened drinker, and yet he handles liquor worse than you do," he observed.

"Well, I'm glad you find it amusing," Loki gave a sarcastic smile. "Look, take him to bed, won't you? I'd better clean up in here. I don't doubt that I'd be blamed for poisoning him if your friends found his vomit on the floor in the morning."

Thor frowned but nodded, taking the unconscious Stark into his arms and heading towards the bedroom and Loki turned to the mess with a sigh. He couldn't help thinking that, if he didn't dote on the little man so, Stark would probably be the mortal he hated most.

* * *

**A/N: **I apologize for teasing you with almost-smut. The real thing will come soon, I promise. Remember to review! :)


	5. You Got A Friend

_"Hey, ain't it good to know you got a friend? People can be so cold.  
They'll hurt you and dessert you. Well, they'll take your soul if you let them."  
**You Got a Friend, James Taylor**  
_

* * *

Loki didn't wake Tony up when he arose in the morning. He didn't even lie in bed to watch the smaller man sleep, as he usually did.

He went straight down to the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee with relatively little injury. He sat at the table, nursing the mug in his hands, thinking. Thinking about the first time he and Anthony truly connected.

* * *

_Loki had come to expect Stark's visits; they were now a daily occurrence. He didn't mind too much – he was not keen on the mortal, not in the slightest, but the silence of his own company was maddening, and at any rate, Stark was better company than Thor; he was comfortingly less cheerful and the conversation decidedly more stimulating. _

"_Morning, Reindeer Games," the little mortal entered the basement, an annoyingly wide grin plastered all over his face. Loki simply scowled, provoking a laugh from the man. "Wow. You're such sunshine and light. I love it." _

"_You're irritatingly happy today," came the lean man's reply. _

"_Yeah," Stark agreed. "I guess I am. How about that, huh? Me, all happy and stuff. You, all miserable and stuff. What an interesting and unexpected turn of events." _

"_Dear lord, you are annoying," Loki rubbed the bridge of his nose, sighing. _

"_I try," Tony sat cross legged on the floor, pulling out a book and flicking it open. Loki bit his lip there. He yearned for something to read. Despite what the years of his adulthood had done to him, he still had that old childhood ache for knowledge; he was happy when he learned new things. _

"_What are you reading?" the question escaped him without him meaning it too. Tony's eyes left the page and he smirked. _

"_A Brief History of Time," the mortal said. "By Stephen Hawking. It's pretty interesting – though I guess you know about the history of time don't you, big fella?" _

"_Actually, history's not been something that's ever interested me. Why should I be concerned with what happened so many years ago?" Loki challenged, and Stark grinned. _

"_So you're a 'live in the now' kinda guy?" he said. "I guess I shoulda figured that much. Not many non-impulsive people have tried to destroy the human race." _

"_I didn't try to destroy the human race," Loki said, haughtily. "You misunderstand. Humans require subjugation. You positively crave it. Why else would you elect leaders like your presidents and prime ministers? Why would you want to look after your own laws and the suchlike when someone else can so easily do it for you? If anything, I was doing your planet a favour." _

"_Huh. Interesting point of view," Stark said, and looked genuinely impressed. "Didn't really go too well for you though, huh?" _

"_Evidently not," the demigod sighed, pushing a weary hand through his hair. Tony had to admit, he was shocked with how Loki's general appearance had deteriorated. He was thinner, his cheeks and hipbones now prominent, and his hair was messy, falling lank and tangled to his shoulders. His eyes were tired, with dark circles underneath. Tony knew from consulting JARVIS late at night that the raven-haired man wasn't sleeping much; he often paced his cell like a caged tiger until the small hours of the morning. Tony thought he once even saw the thin man crying, but he had been so shocked by it that he brushed it off as a trick of the light, or a fault with the AI's cameras, or simply his own eyes tricking him. _

"_So this Hawking," Loki was kneeling now, just inches away from the glass separating he and Tony. "He's one of your scientists?" _

"_Uh. Yeah. Widely considered the smartest guy in the world," Stark said, alarmed at the demigod's interest; he'd always seemed indifferent and uninterested in their conversations before. "Do you have scientists back in Asgard?" _

"_We have our scholars. They're similar, but I always found their company most tedious," Loki sniffed. "They're so damned serious, they'd practically faint at the thought of ever doing anything fun or dangerous." _

"_You got up to a lot back there, then?" Tony asked, amused. Loki grinned back. _

"_Oh, certainly," he chuckled. "I remember once when we were very young – heavens, I must only have been sixteen – Thor and I sneaked out of the palace at midnight one night, he was seeing some girl the family didn't approve of and I suppose I just enjoyed the thrill of rebelling. Incidentally the girl stood him up so we did what we considered the next best thing and drank far too much beer. We both thought we'd gotten away with it, but we rolled in drunk at first light and Odin was waiting for us. He wasn't very happy." _

"_I can imagine," Tony chuckled. "I gotta say though, I'm impressed at how teenage the two of you were. So what did the big guy do then?" _

"_Shouted a lot," Loki recalled. "If I remember rightly, I fought our corner and got beaten senseless for my troubles." _

"_Ouch," Tony winced. "He was big on the tough parenting thing then?"_

"_Very much so," Loki frowned. Then his face softened. "Mother was always quite different to Odin. Much softer. Gentler. But strict in her own way. She hated Odin's physical punishments but she had a way of looking and speaking that would make you feel… disappointed in yourself. Guilty." _

"_She must be a talented woman to make _you _feel guilty for shit you do," Stark commented. Loki laughed humourlessly. _

"_She is the most talented and beautiful woman in the Nine," the demigod informed the mortal. "I couldn't ask for a better mother." _

"_You still call her your mother, but you won't call Thor's dad your father," Tony observed, and he wasn't sure he meant to say it aloud. Loki glared at him. _

"_As far as I'm concerned, I do not have a father. Laufey left me for dead as an infant and that… man is not my father," his voice was quiet and dangerously calm. "I suppose I should've realised it long before he told me, but I was too blind or too stupid to put two and two together. He always favoured Thor. He never truly cared for me, even as a child. He took me in for the sake of peace between Asgard and Jotunheim, not because he loved or cared for me. He's a… he's a bastard." _

"_Huh. I guess dads are bastards whatever realm you're in," Stark mused. _

"_Yours is too?" Loki sounded curious and almost… sympathetic. _

"_Oh yeah. Big time," Stark nodded. "I was the replacement kid, see. Second best – you know how that feels, right? My folks had a kid of their own, but he was sick. They needed a healthy kid so these space freaks wouldn't get pissed. I was more for his good than my own too. I was sent to boarding school when I was six. That's how much he cared about me." _

_There was quiet between the two men for a while. Then Tony broke it. _

"_Weird. Never thought I'd have anything in common with you, Reindeer Games," he said. "I'm not sure how I feel about this. Comforted and creeped out and, I'll be honest with you, a little aroused." _

"_You are a _strange _man, Anthony Stark," Loki said, but he was smiling all over his face. To Tony it almost seemed… like a compliment._

* * *

Loki's train of thought was interrupted by a half-dressed Thor, followed by a nightdress-clad Natasha entering the kitchen.

"How many times, Thor? It's _You_Tube, not _My_Tube," the redhead was saying. "And I'm not putting it on for you again. There's only so many times you can see it before it gets annoying."

"But Natasha. What could ever be annoying about a cat playing the piano? I find it most humorous," Thor complained.

"I know you do, big guy. You haven't shut up about it since I showed you," she said. Then she spotted Loki at the table and rolled her eyes. "If there's one thing I admire in you it's your patience."

"What do you mean?" Loki's brow crinkled in confusion.

"You must have the patience of a god-damned saint to have put up with him for all these years," she jabbed a thumb at the blonde, who had busied himself making Pop Tarts. "I'd've either killed him or killed myself years ago."

Thor looked confused and offended; unsure if the little woman was joking or not. It was his expression more than anything that made Loki laugh.


	6. Near Life Experience

_"The night is my friend, I blend in with the best,  
The vampires, the crooks, the felons and the rest,  
Now we can pretend that we really care less,  
And act like we love what we really detest."  
**Near Life Experience, Lifehouse.**_

* * *

It was mid-afternoon when Tony finally emerged from his bedroom.

He found Thor and Steve at the kitchen table. He sat with them and rested his head on the table, groaning.

"You okay there, bud?" Steve asked, sounding amused.

"No," Tony replied, simply. He heard someone bustling about and a cup of coffee was placed in front of him.

"There. That should help," Thor told him.

"You use coffee as an answer to everything," Tony sighed, rubbing between his eyebrows.

"It is a most wonderful thing," Thor insisted. "I must take some back to Asgard next time I am there. I'm surely it will be as widely revered there as it is here."

"Yeah, well, don't like Starbucks take over your planet too, bud," Tony said, raising one eyebrow. "Speaking of creeps in green taking over the planet, have you seen your brother today?"

"He was in the library this morning. Whether he is still there or not, I don't know," Thor frowned. "I do not understand how he can wile away such hours simply with books."

"Neither do I, pal. But I think its best we leave him too it, don't you?" Tony picked up his mug and headed towards the library, with a brief goodbye to Thor and Steve.

He enjoyed to watch Loki read. He knew that Loki had once told Natasha that very few people could sneak up on him, but it wasn't nearly as hard when he was absorbed in a book. Often Tony would get close behind the taller man, and jab his fingers into the lean sides, before Loki knew he'd even been approaching. He expected to see the God as he usually did; sitting at a table or even on the floor, the area around him littered with diagrams and notes and different books. He'd usually look interested or maddened or confused or excited, but no matter how he felt about the book, one emotion was always obvious on his face – happiness.

Tony was surprised – and not exactly pleasantly either.

He found Loki in the library, cross-legged on the floor, a heavy book open in his lap. Nothing strange there. But he wasn't avidly scribbling notes or copying out diagrams. He had his head bent down, his black hair a curtain, completely obscuring his face from view. He was tracing the words from the book in front of him, his fingers shaking. Tony swallowed, shocked.

"Uh… Lo? You okay, hon?" he asked, gently.

"I'm fine," Loki's voice was deadpan, and he didn't look up at Tony.

"You sure?" Tony knelt in front of him. "What's that you're reading?"

It was a book on Norse mythology. Tony had been given it by his grandmother on one summer vacation to stay with her when he was very young. He'd looked at it once or twice, but hadn't had much interest in the bright pictures or the old-fashioned words. It was too much story and not enough facts and figures for him. Out of curiosity, he'd once asked Thor how true the book was, and Thor had told him simply that Midgardian myths were greatly exaggerated.

But Loki seemed to be captivated by what he was reading. He stroked the picture; a painting of a wolf. It wasn't threatening, not at all an aggressive picture. Rather, there was a placid beauty to the animal, something calming in the blackness of its fur, the greenness of its eyes. Black. Green. Colours that had become all too familiar to Tony. He swallowed, reading the first line of the text. _"Nari, son of the trickster, Loki..."_

Tony had heard about Loki's children, six of them, as far as he knew. Before, he'd always assumed they fell into the 'greatly exaggerated' category. It was hard to think of someone like Loki fathering any child, not least world-crushing serpents and man-eating wolves. But the expression on Loki's face said different.

"He's beautiful," Tony said, in an attempt at comforting the slender man. Loki smiled.

"This painting really doesn't do him justice," he said, softly. "But he was quite something to look at, wasn't he?"

"W-was?" Tony repeated. Loki nodded once, offering no words in way of reply. "I'm so sorry, sweetie. What… what happened?"

"I don't wish to discuss it," Loki replied simply.

"That's okay. We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," Tony said, somewhat awkwardly. He wasn't used to being someone's comforter. He put a hand on Loki's arm and Loki looked up, smiling gently, but with wet eyes. "Come here." Tony put his arms around the thin man and stroked his hair gently.

He didn't know what to say to comfort Loki. He'd had to comfort a god before, that was true, but that was when Steve thought it would be a good idea to let Thor watch _Bambi _and the weeping blonde couldn't be consoled, nor convinced that the deer wasn't real, for two and a half hours. But the death of a child was on a whole different level to the death of an animated animal. Tony had no words for Loki, and so he simply sat, cradling the raven-haired god in the crook of his elbow, stroking his hair and delivering frequent kisses to his forehead and now-damp cheeks.

After about twenty minutes, Loki eased himself out of Tony's grip and slotted the book back onto the shelf. He headed for the door and Tony felt confused.

"Where are you going?" he asked the tall man.

"I wish to be alone, Anthony," Loki's voice was tight. "Do not follow me."

And he swept out of the room and disappeared. Tony went upstairs only when he was sure that Loki was gone. He found Thor and Steve and Clive playing poker in the living room.

"Hey," Barton grinned at him. "Come on, we'll deal you in."

"What? Oh. Um. No, you're okay," Tony shook his head.

"What's up? You never turn down a game of poker," Steve frowned.

"I uh. I got a headache," Tony swallowed. "If Lo comes looking for me, tell him I went to bed early, yeah?"

"Sure," Steve said. Thor was quiet. He just watched Stark go up to bed, contemplating quietly.

* * *

Loki sat on a bench in Central Park, the darkness shrouding him in the most comforting way. It was quiet in this part of the park at night, and that was good. Loki didn't want to be bothered by anyone, inside of Stark Towers or out. He wanted to be alone for a while.

After a short while of sitting where he was, a small figure occupied the bench next to him.

"Hi," a child's voice said. Loki didn't respond. "Are you okay, mister?"

"I'm fine," it was an attempt to make the little girl leave, but it was in vain. She watched him, her head on one side.

"How come you're not cold? It's winter," she asked. He just smirked at the impossibility of her ever understanding. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Well you just have," Loki sniffed. The little girl bit her lip.

"Are you Loki? Like Thor's brother?" she said. He nodded, expecting that to make her leave. But it didn't. "How come you're so sad?"

"I'm not sad," it was a shocked and rushed response that was meant to be said inside his head.

"Yeah, you are. You have sad eyes," she said. He didn't know what to say. So he stayed quiet. So did she for a long time. Then she sighed. "I guess you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. But you shouldn't be sad. Nobody should ever be sad. My mommy said that you're a bad person, but I guess even bad people shouldn't be sad. I don't think you're a bad person. I think you're just a good person who's done some bad things." There was another pause. "I guess I should go now. Don't be sad any more." She leaned over to kiss his cheek, before hopping to her feet and dashing off.

* * *

It was way past midnight when Loki finally came in and climbed into bed with Tony. Neither man said anything to the other, only lay in each other's arms until they each fell into a troubled sleep.


	7. Rock You Like A Hurricane

_"Lust is in cages until the storm breaks loose,  
__Just have to make it with someone I choose."  
**Rock You Like A Hurricane, The Scorpions.**_

_**WARNING: SERIOUS FROSTIRON SMUT**_

* * *

Thor caught Tony by himself the next day.

"Stark," he said, uneasily. "Something troubled you last night. Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine," Tony promised, not in the mood to discuss it. Loki was back now, and pretty much himself – if a little energetic – so Tony assumed they were just gonna forget about what happened.

"Was it my brother?" Thor asked quietly (or as quietly as he could). Tony shook his head. Then he nodded. Then he shrugged.

"Kind of," he admitted.

"Whatever he has done, I can only apologise. I'm sure he did not mean it," Thor assured. "He thinks very highly of you, Stark."

"He didn't really _do _anything," Tony sighed. "He just… he got upset by something he read and he cried and I guess he was pissed at himself for letting me see him cry. He sulked a little then left but he's back now and he's okay."

"My ears are burning," a smooth, forcibly cheerful, voice sounded behind the pair. "Anthony, I _do _wish you'd stop going on about me. It's flattering, certainly, but it's _embarrassing _too!"

"Uh… sorry, hon," Tony expected Loki to be mad at him for telling Thor what'd happened, but he seemed to be the exact opposite. He also _looked _different from how Tony had expected; generally if Loki had no plans, he'd mooch around barefoot in sweatpants and one of Tony's tee-shirts, his hair scooped back into a ponytail for convenience. Today he was wearing a bottle-green button down and black skinny jeans, his hair neatly combed and, Tony suspected, flat-ironed into place. He whistled jauntily to himself as he set about making a cup of coffee.

Tony and Thor exchanged a look. This kind of behaviour was not normal of Loki. He could be cheerful, definitely, but he was usually much more reserved than this – preferring to simply smile and offer less insults than usual when he was in a good mood. Both men saw what was going on with the demigod; he was making an effort to seem okay, and totally overdoing it.

"Are you alright, brother?" Thor asked, breaking the silence. "You do not seem yourself."

"Whatever do you mean?" Loki laughed, a forced, humourless sound.

"You're much more… cheerful than usual," Thor said, and Loki laughed again.

"Come now, Thor. Even _I _am happy sometimes," he commented, patting Thor's arm. "What have I to be unhappy about?"

Thor opened his mouth to tell him but one look from Tony cut him off. The latter smiled at Loki.

"It's great you're happy, Lo," he said, delicately. "I'm glad. Do you… do you have any plans for today?"

"Not really," Loki shrugged. "Reading, probably – and maybe you and I could spend some time together?"

"Yeah, sure, that'd be great," Tony nodded. "I'll be in the workshop all day, most likely, so just come find me when you need me, okay? Or hey, just come find me if you need someone to talk to."

"I will," Loki kissed the mortal's lips gently. "Anyway. I'm going to the library. See you soon, sweetheart."

Thor and Tony watched him leave, then exchanged a look and sigh before each going about their separate affairs.

* * *

As Tony suspected, it wasn't long before Loki sought him out, coming to the workshop and finding him poring over blueprints.

"Hey," Tony smiled at him, only briefly averting his eyes from his work.

"Hello," Loki's reply was pleasant and breezy. He stood behind the smaller mortal, placing his hands on Tony's shoulders, resting his chin lightly on the mortal's head. "What's that you're working on?"

"Just messing with a new idea," Tony said, thoughtfully, before swinging round on his swivel chair. "Nothing I can't put off for you though, babe."

"Good," Loki grinned, straddling Tony's lap, pushing his arms over the mortal's shoulders and cuddling him. "We may actually get some alone time this time. I am _so _bored of being interrupted by my brother and your damn friends."

"Mm. Me too," Tony agreed, unfastening the top two buttons of Loki's shirt and finding the pale man's prominent collarbone with his lips. "I've missed this. It's been too long since we've been so intimate."

"It's been three days, Anthony," Loki chuckled.

"Exactly. _Too long," _Tony repeated, fumbling to undo more of Loki's buttons, until the whole of his milky torso was exposed.

"Really, Anthony," Loki tutted. "Your libido will never cease to amaze me."

"It's all down to you, sexy," Tony nuzzled Loki's neck. "Really, Lo. You don't know what you do to me."

"Oh trust me, my sweet, I can feel _exactly _what I am doing to you," Loki chuckled seductively, grinding his hips against Tony's seductively. In doing so he elected the most delicious moan from the little man.

"Fuck, Lo. I want you. I want you here and now," Tony said, grappling at Loki's exposed torso and squeezing the slender god's butt through tight denim.

"So romantic, Anthony," Loki chuckled. "Practically Shakespearean, really."

"Shut up being so sassy and take your pants off," Tony hissed. Loki raised one eyebrow, but got to his feet, fumbling with the button on his jeans. Tony raised one eyebrow and Loki pushed the tight trousers down. "Good lord, you're beautiful."

"As are you, dear," Loki didn't retake his seat on Tony's lap, but pulled the smaller man to his feet and pulled the shirt over his head roughly, before leaning in to kiss him with raw passion. Tony pushed until Loki's back hit the wall, and he felt long, cool fingers attacking his belt buckle. His jeans were shed in a matter of seconds, leaving the two men almost naked, kissing and groping and pulling hair frantically. Loki's fingers ghosted over the waistband of Tony's boxer shorts, and the little man groaned.

"Come on, Lo. Quit teasing me," he panted.

"Oh, but it's fun," Loki mumbled, his lips pressed against Tony's jawbone. He kissed down, sucking and nipping gently as he made his way down his neck and chest. Tony's eye fluttered shut, his fingers tangling themselves in silky ebony locks. Truth be told, he could go without foreplay every time; he preferred to just get straight into it. But, whether it was the romantic element or the joy of teasing the mortal, Loki loved foreplay. He reached the waistband of Tony's underwear and eased them down, kissing down the length of the mortal's erection. He was skilled with his mouth, Tony knew all too well, and so he was disappointed when Loki simply grabbed both of his hands and pulled him down to kneel beside him on the floor.

Not wasting any time, Tony pushed the taller man so he was lying on his back, eased his underwear down, and pulled long, lean legs around his waist.

"So _eager, _Tony," Loki chuckled, but they both knew the feeling was mutual. He was only ever _Tony _in the most heated of moments, when Loki's general stuck-in-the-18th-century disposition slipped, and he became nothing more than a whimpering mess of arousal and sexual frustration. Tony only grinned in reply, pressing his fingers to Loki's lips. The god needed no instruction, coating each finger in saliva one at a time, keeping his eyes fixed on Tony's the whole time.

"Fuck, Lo," Tony whispered. "Fuck. You're so fucking beautiful."

A smile was Loki's only response; he didn't trust his voice right now. A warm wet finger pressed at his entrance, and he winced at first at the intrusion. Tony took the hint and went slowly at first, only picking up speed and adding a second finger when Loki opened his eyes with a gasp, and the grin reappeared. He grabbed Tony's shoulders, pulling the smaller man down for a kiss.

"Now, Tony," he hissed. "I want you now."

Needing no further convincing, Tony removed his fingers from Loki and pressed the head of his manhood in their place. Again, he went slowly at first, carefully regarding the expression on the other man's face, not wishing to cause him any more pain than was necessary. Loki moaned when Tony found his sweet spot, and the mortal took that as permission to pick up speed. Sure enough, as his thrusts got faster, Loki's fingers found his hair, tugging gently, drawing the most beautiful sounds from the back of Tony's throat.

"I love you," Loki whispered, dragging Tony's ear to his lips.

"I love you too, babe," Tony moaned, feeling that he was close. Loki shook his head.

"Wait for me," he pleaded.

"I don't know if I-" Tony began, but Loki cut him off with a kiss.

"You can do it. You know you can do it," Loki assured him. "Please, wait for me. I want us to finish together. I love you. You're so beautiful. I love you-"

He carried on that way until it became a blur of senseless moans and whimpers. Eventually, he nodded and, moaning each other's names, the two men climaxed together.

Panting and sweaty, Tony rolled off of Loki, collapsing beside him.

"That was amazing," he commented.

"It always is," Loki reminded him. Tony snuggled into his side and Loki's arm went around him. They lay in the quiet for several long minutes. Then Loki sat up, stretching.

"I suppose I'd better shower," he peered down at the mess on his chest, ran a hand through his sweat-damp hair. "Coming?"

"Sure," Tony nodded. "Just gimme ten minutes to clean up in here, kay? I'll come join you when I'm done."

"I look forwards too it," Loki pressed a small kiss on the tip of Tony's nose, before dressing and striding out of the room with such dignity that nobody would ever know what had just happened.

* * *

**A/N: **Hooray. You finally got your smut. You're welcome. You have no idea how hard it was to actually find a song that fit this chapter -.- Anyway. Reviews are always good, please and thank you :)


	8. Canary In A Coalmine

_"First to fall over when the atmosphere is less than perfect_  
_Your sensibilities are shaken by the slightest defect_  
_You live your life like a canary in a coal mine."  
**Canary in a Coalmine, Sting and The Police**  
_

* * *

After they showered together, Tony insisted he needed to finish what Loki had 'so rudely interrupted' and went back to the workshop alone.

Loki found his eyes meeting Barton's disapproving glare, an expression of disgust on his face after watching the pair kiss goodbye.

"Jealous?" Loki raised one eyebrow, taunting the archer. Barton had never really forgiven him for the whole mind-control thing, and made his hatred for the raven-haired god quite plain. Barton scoffed.

"Yeah, right," he quipped, both syllables positively dripping with sarcasm. Loki tutted, placing a hand on Barton's shoulder with a positively devilish smirk.

"Now, now, Clint, there's no need for such hostility," Loki said, silkily. "I'm sure Natasha will realise what a… ahem… catch you are one day soon. And if not… well, as you Midgardians say, there's plenty more fish in the sea, eh?"

"Don't you ever touch me," Barton through his hand off furiously. "You have no right to talk about Natasha and me. No right at all. You don't know what the fuck you're talking about."

"Don't I?" Loki raised one eyebrow. "Come now, Clint. We've all seen the way you look at her, heard the way you talk to her. And surely I can't be the only one who's noticed how you stare at her breasts whenever you speak to her? And yet you seem to be the only person who doesn't understand that she's _not interested _in you. She's made that much pretty clear. How many times has she turned down your advances now? Silly boy. You're so deluded."

"Yeah _I'm _the one who's deluded in love," Barton scoffed. "You keep telling yourself that, buddy."

"What does that mean?" Loki's eyes narrowed dangerously, and Barton gave a harsh bark of laughter.

"Jesus, and you're supposed to be intelligent?" he said. "Do you really think Tony loves you? Like, you actually think he cares about you? Because he doesn't."

"You have no idea what you're talking about," Loki sniffed, haughtily. "What Anthony and I have is something that requires deeper understanding than a halfwit like you possesses. You act so strong-willed and intelligent, but I've never found a mind more easily penetrable than yours. You're an idiot, boy, and you know nothing about Anthony and I's relationship."

"Uh, hate to break it to you but, but _Anthony _and you have nothing," Barton said, looking amused and angry at the same time. "Newsflash. He only likes you 'cause you're a decent fuck. Do you really think he'd be interested in you if it wasn't for the sex? Because that's all he ever mentions when he talks about you. How easy a lay you are or how good the sex is. Why d'you think he never talks to Thor about your 'relationship', huh? It's 'cause he knows Thor will kick his ass for talking about his precious little baby brother in that way."

"Y-you're being ridiculous," Loki flipped his hair back, taking a deep breath. "Of course Anthony loves me. He told me so. I'm the God of _Lies, _stupid child. I'd know if he wasn't telling me the truth."

"Oh yeah? Does he ever look you in the eye when he says it, huh?" Barton asked, more confident now that he could see he was getting to the slimmer man. "Or is it always somewhere else? Has he ever actually said _I love you, Loki? _Or is it always just 'I love you'? Or does he use that damn stupid nickname for you? Huh, _Lo_? Why do you think he calls you that? 'Cause he doesn't want to use your actual name. He's a good guy, he'd feel guilty if he did. You disgust him, you know that?"

"If you want to live to see tomorrow, I suggest you shut up," Loki hissed, softly.

"Why? Does the truth hurt?" Barton laughed cruelly again. "Newsflash, pal. The only person Tony has ever loved, and the only person he ever will love, is Pepper. You're a stop-gap until he can find a way to win her back, at best. I mean, did he ever even show a platonic interest in you until she left? 'Cause I never heard him even mention your name in conversation before that. He doesn't want you, not the way he wanted her. The only person who wants you here is Thor and even he'd get rid of you with enough convincing. Why don't you just go back home, huh? Oh that's right. You don't _have _a home."

"My home is with Anthony," the god's voice was quiet now, unsure of himself. Surely none of what the archer was saying was true? Anthony loved Loki, he was sure of it. But Barton seemed to be quite confident of what he was saying. And each one of his barbs met its target, each cutting deeper than the last.

"Oh my fucking… no, it isn't," Barton said. "Home is where the heart is, right? Somewhere where you're wanted, isn't it? I mean, are you actually wanted anywhere? Tony would kick you out tomorrow if it meant he could get Pepper back – he doesn't want you. Not really. Your adopted parents clearly don't want you – they sent you to a different _realm _because they were sick of the sight of you. They always loved Thor more anyway, didn't they? Even your precious mother cared more for her real son than someone else's child that she took out of goodwill. And your birth parents? They could clearly tell what a shitty person you were right from the off. Why else would they leave you for dead? Maybe it would've been better if Thor's dad had never found you. The universe would be a better place if you'd died when you were a baby, like you were supposed to."

What happened next happened so quickly that Loki wasn't entirely sure it happened at all. One minute he was standing, glaring at Barton, wondering how on earth he knew all of that – and more importantly how _dare _he speak to Loki in such a way. Then Loki's fist connected with something hard and there was a sickening crack as Barton collapsed onto the floor, cradling a bloody nose and mouth in cupped hands. Loki lunged forwards, meaning to hit him again, but a familiar forearm across his chest stopped him.

"What _on Earth _is going on?" Thor demanded.

"Your brother is a fucking psychopath is what's going on," Barton said, thickly.

"What did you do?" Fury and Natasha appeared in Loki's slight line, looking shocked and outraged.

"He was asking for it," was all Loki offered in the way of reply. "It wasn't unprovoked."

"You're a fucking lunatic," Barton addressed the younger god, a cruel glee glinting behind the pain in his eyes. "I knew Tony was a fucking idiot to ever let you out of that cell. You're just dangerous."

"You deserved it," Loki breathed heavily.

"I doubt that," Fury cut in. "He's right. You're dangerous. I think it's about time you went back to the basement."

"I do not think that will be necessary," Thor's voice boomed. "Allow me to calm my brother down. I will talk to him. We will sort this out like adults."

And with that, Thor dragged Loki out of the room and away from prying eyes.

* * *

In one of Stark Tower's many lounges, Loki sat on a couch, sulking, arms folded across his chest. Thor paced up and down the room in front of him.

"Are you going to tell me what happened?" Thor asked, for the umpteenth time.

"I'm not speaking to anyone but Anthony," Loki gave the same response.

"The Man of Iron is seeing to Barton's wounds," Thor reminded him. "You may be waiting for some time. Why not tell me? I will do my best to understand and to help."

"I don't want your help," Loki sounded vaguely like a sulky toddler, but Thor didn't comment on that. Instead, he stopped pacing and crouched in front of his brother, so they were eye-to-eye.

"Loki, you must understand that until you explain yourself the others will think you attacked Barton unprovoked," Thor said, gently. "At least tell me what he did to spur such a reaction from you? The at least I can tell them that you were right, he was being most provocative."

"I'm not speaking to anyone but Anthony," Loki repeated.

"Well, you can speak to him now," an angry-looking Tony appeared in the doorway, and Thor took his cue to leave. Tony didn't sit beside Loki. He stood over him, arms folded, expression serious. "What the fuck did you think you were doing attacking him like that? Did you really think that was a good idea? Just when the others are starting to accept me and you, you go and ruin it by doing that? Well done, Loki. Well fucking done. Smooth move on your part, babe."

"He… he provoked me," was all Loki could manage. He hadn't expected Tony to be so angry; he'd expected Tony to be on his side from the off.

"Well I'd sure like to know what he did to provoke _that,_" Tony scoffed. "You realise you broke his nose and took four of his teeth out? I've never seen so much blood."

"He… he said things," Loki's voice was barely a whisper. Maybe it would've been best to tell Thor first. Get Thor on side, so at least he wasn't fighting his corner alone. Tony laughed, a harsh parody of the real thing.

"He's _always _saying things to you, Loki. His throwing a couple of insults your way doesn't justify you doing that. You usually keep your cool so well when he tries to wind you up. What the fuck happened this time?"

"He went too far," Loki sighed. "Much too far. He… he spoke ill of my mother and how Odin and she loved Thor in ways they didn't love me. He spoke of my birth parentage and how I was left for dead as an infant. And he said… he said…" Loki's voice trailed off, as he no longer trusted himself not to break down in tears.

"What else did he say?" Tony's voice was softer now, kinder. Loki looked up, meeting the mortal's eye for the first time in the exchange.

"He said that you do not love me, that you just use me for sex," it was barely a whisper, but it was loud enough for Tony to hear.

"Oh, Lo," Tony dropped beside the taller man and flung his arms around the slender frame. "That's not true. Not even a little, okay? I can understand why you got so upset, but you can't lash out at people like that, not with Fury around. SHIELD are looking for any reason to put you back in prison."

"Which is what Fury wants to do with me anyway," Loki mumbled.

"Fury can want all he damn well pleases. It's not happening," Tony said. "I managed to talk them out of locking you up again. But it was on the condition you wear this." He slipped something around Loki's wrist and locked it in place; a thin metal bracelet, not so tight that it was painful, but tight enough that Loki wouldn't be able to ease it off. He looked at Tony for an explanation and the mortal sighed, rubbing his forehead.

"Listen, Lo. The first thing you need to understand is that it's really painful for me to do this to you. I don't want to have to do it, really I don't. But it's for your own good. And the good of everyone around you," Tony sighed. "It's basically… it's kinda like a handcuff, I suppose. It keeps you from doing anything you shouldn't."

"How so?" Loki asked, curious as to how a simple strip of metal could stop him doing what he pleased. Tony pushed a hand through his hair.

"If you misbehave, it'll give you a high voltage electric shock," the mortal explained, wearily. Loki swallowed but nodded – he preferred this to being locked in that cell.

"A-And what constitutes misbehaviour?" Loki asked.

"Okay, sweetie, you gotta know that his was all Fury's choice. Not mine," Tony said, quickly. "But basically… basically it'll give you a shock if you um…if you try to take it off, if you leave the Tower without me at your side, if you lose your temper and get violent and if you… if you…"

"If I what?" Loki asked, tilting Tony's face so he had to look him in the eye.

"If you use magic," Tony said, hoarsely. Loki's hands dropped to his lap.

"I can't use magic?" Loki repeated. "You're taking my magic from me?"

"Not me. Fury is," Tony said, fidgeting with his thumbs. "Please don't argue with this, Lo. I know it's shitty but you'll get used to it. Don't cause any more problems than you already have. And… and if you're really exceptionally good, Fury might let me take it off in the next couple of weeks."

"Oh," was all Loki could say. There was silence for a long while. Then Tony breathed deep.

"You're upset with me, aren't you?" he said.

"A little bit," Loki confirmed. Another bout of silence. Then, wordlessly, Loki got up and headed for the bedroom.

Tony didn't follow for several long hours.

* * *

**A/N: **Ooh two chapters in one day, you lucky little things! So finally you're getting a bit of plot/angst. And I'm sorry to any Barton fans out there. I have nothing against the character, at all. I just needed an excuse for Loki to lose his temper and I think he's more likely to deck Barton than Fury in all honesty. Remember to review! Also I realise I made a typo and got Barton's name wrong. Thanks to KieraPSI for pointing it out to me. It's amended now :)


	9. Spin

_"The world keeps spinning round,  
__My worlds turned upside down,  
__And I wouldn't change a thing.  
I got nothing left to lose,  
I lost it all when I found you,  
And I wouldn't change a thing."  
**Spin, Lifehouse**_

* * *

Things were awkward the next day.

Tony and Loki rose with the sun; neither man had slept much and they were both glad of a reason to get out of bed. They had a bath together, washing each other's hair and cuddling in the water without really exchanging any words. Breakfast was equally quiet, the two of them taking twice as long as usual to get through their coffee and French toast. To make things less awkward, Tony opened a newspaper, occasionally chuckling and commenting to Loki about the ridiculous things in the various articles about his life.

After the painfully long breakfast, they both went down to Tony's workshop. Tony was tinkering with the engine from an old motorcycle, a surprise gift for Bruce's approaching birthday; since last time Loki was in New York and Banner had stolen some old piece of crap bike, he'd been obsessed with getting one that was halfway decent. Loki perched on a countertop in the corner, reading in silence, his brow furrowed and his lips pursed in concentration. Tony noticed the taller man's eyes kept flicking to the bracelet on his wrist, and he couldn't help wincing on his behalf. It was rare that Loki was as cheerful as he'd pretended to be the previous day, true, but he'd never given off such a negative vibe as he was today. Tony had seen Loki mad and upset and frustrated and distressed but this? This was something different. There was a depressed air around the lithe man; he seemed smaller, deflated somehow. Like all of his heart and fighting spirit was gone. It was depressing, to say the least.

At some point in the mid-afternoon, Loki disappeared from the workshop, saying the smell of motor oil was making him nauseous. Tony doubted the truth in it; he often smelled of motor oil himself and Loki never had any complaints about it. He didn't pull Loki up on it; he didn't doubt that some kind of argument would ensue if he did, and causing the raven-haired demigod any more upset was the last thing he wanted to do.

* * *

Loki did not know how long he lay alone on the sofa, staring at the ceiling in one of the first floor lounges. Usually at this point he'd open a book or look over some notes or try to finish a piece of research, but he simply could not be _bothered. _He had no motivation to do anything; part of it was sulking – how dare these pathetic mortals try to outdo him, how dare they think they could treat him this way and hot have some kind of consequence. But it was also partly jealousy; a horribly familiar pang that he had felt all too much about Thor throughout their childhood. What had happened was as much Barton's fault as his – it never would've happened if Barton hadn't goaded him so, hadn't mocked him to the point where he lashed out. And where was the archer's punishment? Loki highly doubted the mortal had even been reprimanded; it was easy for him to play the victim when everyone in the house antagonised him so. Loki considered asking JARVIS to provide him with evidence of what Barton had said – after all, the AI had constant surveillance on the whole building. But he decided that would be futile; the problem was that the rest of the occupants didn't _believe _that Barton had provoked him. It was that they thought he'd over-reacted, or that they just through and through hated him and didn't want to believe that any of his actions were justified.

The door opened and Loki heard a cautious voice in the doorway.

"Uh… Loki?" Steve Rogers stood in the doorway. Loki didn't give any kind of response, not even looking to the patriotic blond. Steve swallowed, cautious to cross the room. He knew there was nothing that Loki could do to harm him physically due to the shock bracelet that Fury had him wear. But he'd seen up close the effect Loki's famously cutting tongue could have on people; he'd damn near broken Natasha – the strongest woman Steve had ever met – just with what he said to her. Still, he was doing what he considered the right thing right now and trying to build bridges with the slender god. The latter let out a sigh, a sound so sad that Steve found his legs crossing the room of their own accord.

"You okay, there, soldier?" he asked. Green eyes met his in the coldest, most withering look Steve had ever seen in his life. "I uh… I knew you were down, so I made you a cup of coffee. I know it's not really a solution, but like Thor said – coffee can temporarily solve most problems, right?"

"My brother would have you believe the same about those damned Pop Tarts he loves so much," Loki commented, making the blond jump; he hadn't been expecting much conversation. Loki sat up, taking the mug from Steve and cradling it in large, pale hands. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it," Rogers gave him a small smile. "And… and just for the record. I think Clint's just as in the wrong as you are, with what happened yesterday. Tony told me what he said, he had no right to bring your family into it. He had even less right to say what he said about Tony and you. It doesn't justify what you did, but it kind of explains it."

The raven-haired man blinked at the soldier, taken aback by the fact that someone other than Tony or Thor was actually extending a caring hand towards him. He swallowed deeply then forced a smile at the blond man.

"Thank you," Loki said quietly. They sat in silence for a long while before Steve up and left the room.

* * *

It was around ten at night when Tony came up from his workshop and found Loki in the same position he'd been in when Steve had spoken to him. The mortal had taken a second bath and changed into comfortable old clothes; baggy jeans and a sweater. He was also bearing several bottles of alcohol. Loki looked up at him and Tony shrugged.

"I know you don't like drinking," he said, lifting Loki's legs to snuggle up to him. "But I felt like we could both use a stiff drink tonight. Like a pick-me-up, y'know?"

"I've never agreed with anything you've said more, Anthony," Loki said, sitting up. He noticed that Anthony hadn't brought any glasses with him, and so he simply accepted a bottle and took a large swig of vodka straight from it. He shuddered as it burnt on the way down, but took another swig. Tony laughed.

"Whoa, easy there, Rudolph. Pace yourself," he said, patting the darker haired man's arm.

"No. I intend to get – damn, what's the word you use? Hammered?" Loki said.

"You wanna get hammered?" Tony asked, feeling a mixture of shocked and impressed. Loki nodded and Tony grinned wide. "Sure, baby. Let's get hammered."

* * *

Thor found the couple in the small hours of the morning; he'd ventured to the bathroom in the middle of the night and noticed that a light was switched on where it shouldn't have been. The two were fast asleep on the sofa, Tony flat on his back, one leg hanging off of the couch, a bottle loosely clasped in his hand. Loki was on top of him, his head resting on the mortal's chest, just above the Man of Iron's arc reactor. They were locked in a loose embrace, one of Loki's hands tucked beneath the littler man's torso, the other on his shoulder. Stark's free hand sat between Loki's shoulder blades. Thor couldn't stop watching for a long time; of course, he'd seen Loki sleep many times before – often when they were children he would sneak into Thor's chambers due to bad dreams – and a couple of times he'd seen Stark passed out drunk. But there was something that looked beautifully young and innocent in both men sleeping in each other's arms. Something that Thor did not want to disturb. So, rather than wake them or take them to bed, he simply tucked the tangled blanket around the sleeping pair, shut off the light, and headed back to his own bed.


	10. Blame It (On The Alcohol)

_"Blame it on the vodka,  
__Blame it on the henny,  
__Blame it on the blue top,  
__Got you feeling dizzy,  
__Blame it on the a-a-a-a-a-alcohol."  
**Blame It (On The Alcohol), Jamie Foxx ft. T-Pain **_

* * *

It wasn't until the morning that Loki truly understood the Midgardian term 'hammered.'

He'd certainly been drunk in his time, but he'd generally been fine the next morning. Thor was often hungover; on many Sunday mornings, Loki would find the older god slumped over the table in the dining room, cradling his head in his arms and groaning. Before Loki had laughed and poked fun at his brother, but now he was giving some serious contemplation to taking it all back. He felt as if someone was pounding a hammer inside his forehead, certainly.

Groaning, the slim man sat up. It was only then that he registered that he was not, as he first thought, in he and Tony's bed. The two of them were on the couch where they'd begun drinking the previous night. Clearly neither of them had been sober enough to get to bed. Sitting up dislodged an empty Jack Daniel's bottle which fell to the floor with a _thunk _but, mercifully, didn't smash. The sound roused Tony and he rubbed his head.

"Jesus. What time is it?" the mortal grumbled. Loki shrugged.

"Too early," he answered, burying his face in his hands. Tony chuckled.

"Please don't tell me this is your first hangover?" he said. Loki groaned.

"Not the first, but one of very few," was the muffled reply. "I don't understand how you can enjoy being drunk so often, Anthony. Is this feeling really worth it?"

"You get used to it," Tony assured him, before rising to his feet. "C'mon. You need coffee and something hot and greasy inside you – and I don't mean me."

"You're such a master in the art of language, Anthony. Really, you're practically a poet. However do you do it?" Loki looked up, smirking. Tony laughed.

"It's amazing how a hangover has no effect on your sharp tongue," the smaller man said. "Come _on. _I'll make you breakfast and then we'll go take a long hot shower together, alright?"

"Alright," Loki got to his feet and followed Tony into the kitchen. He flopped at the table and rested his head on folded arms. "Ugh. I stink."

"All the more reason to shower," Tony chuckled. "Christ, Lo. I think we've discovered your kryptonite. Thor wasn't kidding when he said you can't handle your liquor, was he?"

"It's that damn vodka," Loki grumbled. Tony laughed.

"Oh, yeah. Vodka'll do that," he said.

"You think vodka is bad," Thor chuckled, striding into the kitchen. "You should've seen him when Fandrall convinced him that absinthe was a good idea."

"Don't you dare," Loki warned, though it sounded quite pathetic from inside his arms.

"It was most amusing, Stark, I assure you," the bigger man went on. "I found the two of them half naked singing children's nursery rhymes while-"

"Carry on and I swear, I will make the rest of your living days hell," Loki growled and this time Thor took heed, simply mouthing _I'll tell you later _at Tony when Loki looked away.

"God, hangovers make you so _moody,_" Tony commented, placing a cup of black coffee on the table. Loki accepted it, but scowled at the mortal.

"No. People make me moody," Loki said, sounding alarmingly like Tony himself when he'd been a hormonal teenager. Tony simply laughed at him.

"Okay, Little Miss Sunshine, don't get too excited," Tony said, earning him a cold look. "Okay, okay. Jeez."

Thor simply laughed and ruffled the younger god's hair, earning a look that could probably put even a demigod six feet under. Tony had to laugh at that point.

"Jesus, are you _actually _pouting?" he said. "That. Is. Adorable."

"Adorable isn't exactly what I aim for," Loki flipped his hair back but blushed a little, and Tony could tell that he was trying to supress a grin. The mortal took a seat opposite the younger demigod and grinned.

"Come on. Drink that so we can go shower," he said. At Loki's seductive look (and Thor's threatening one) Tony quickly added. "You need it. You're right. You stink."

"Thanks, sweetheart," Loki laughed, slamming the rest of his coffee and getting to his feet. "Come on then. Let's go."

* * *

**A/N: **I understand this chapter is shitty and the song doesn't totally fit but it's just a filler and I felt I needed to update in some way. Remember to review.


	11. Close To You

_"Why do stars fall down from the sky? Every time you walk by?  
__Just like me, they long to be, close to you."  
**Close To You, The Carpenters.**_

* * *

Loki left the bathroom before Tony, heading towards their bedroom in just a towel. He truly had no shame, often strolling around without a shirt on without really a care as to who saw. Not that he needed to have any shame – he had a wonderful body. True, he wasn't as muscular as Thor, but he was lean and lithe and toned, well defined but not overly so. He guessed the lack of humility was something that dated back to the god's youth – Thor too often wandered around half-naked. Clearly it was something they'd both become accustomed too growing up. Tony guessed he should've expected it; as princes, the pair were probably taught to be proud of their appearance, and their strutting around in very little was probably appreciated, if not encouraged, by their people.

When he eventually followed the taller man into the bedroom, Tony found Loki drying his hair in front of the mirror. He couldn't help a small grin. He'd never seen Loki happier than the day he taught the demigod to use a blow dryer. He was shamelessly vain, often taking up to an hour to get ready in the mornings if they were planning on going somewhere. Though Tony supposed he couldn't complain; he wasn't a whole load better.

It was a crazy thing really; both men were so similar that they'd expected their personalities to clash. Both were highly strung and high maintenance and borderline narcissistic, but they seemed to fit into each other's personalities perfectly. Tony saw a side to Loki he'd never even imagined could exist; the softer side, the side who wanted to spend a morning in bed just talking, the side who would flirt and mess around and could actually be really cute and silly. It'd taken a while to get to that side, though. Tony remembered the first time they'd made love, down in that damned cell in the basement – Loki had simply dressed afterwards and left Tony in the fold-out camping bed alone. When Tony asked, he'd got a simple reply; _"I don't snuggle, Stark." _

Now it couldn't be more different. Loki, for all his airs and graces of being above such childish behaviour, wanted to be within constant proximity of Tony, it seemed. His sex drive wasn't as high as the mortal might've liked, but he was visibly happier when in Tony's company, and it was rare for the couple to be within touching distance and to not be doing so. Tony guessed it was probably something to do with their mother; Thor had mentioned once or twice that when they were kids, their mom had been way into hugs and kisses and lap-sitting and bedtime stories. It didn't take a rocket scientist to work out that the younger god got comfort from affectionate touches even now – _especially _now, since he found out he was adopted.

The roar of the blow dryer shut off and Loki grinned at Tony in the mirror.

"Hi," he said, sounding much more cheerful than he had before. "What do you want to do today?"

"Let's go back to bed," Tony suggested, sitting on the edge of the mattress. Loki laughed there.

"We've only just gotten up," he commented, turning to Tony with a cynical eyebrow. "Gods, boy, your sex drive is just _astonishing._"

"You know you calling me 'boy' doesn't help if you want me to stop being so horny for you," Tony advised. "And for once, maybe I'm not actually asking for sex. Maybe I just want to snuggle that hangover out of you?"

Loki grinned and lay on the bed beside the mortal, folding his arms around Tony's midsection and pulling him close, until his head nuzzled into the god's neck, his hair tickling up the taller man's nose, but Loki wasn't complaining.

"You know," Tony broke the non-tense silence. "For a guy who didn't snuggle six weeks ago, you sure do get into these cuddles."

"Shut up, Anthony," Loki's voice was loving as he said it. "We're having a 'moment'. Please don't ruin it."

"Sorry," Tony chuckled, cuddling closer. There was something massively alluring about cuddling with Loki that Tony couldn't quite put his finger on. Maybe it was the fact that there was never an awkward too-much-body-heat period; Loki was always cool to the touch, as if he was actually made from alabaster or marble (Thor had explained it was due to his 'Jotun blood'. Tony wasn't exactly sure what that meant, but any time he tried to talk to Loki about his birth parents the god had clammed up and Tony could see it was unwise to press further.) Or perhaps it was the way the lean, sinewy arms were strong and comforting around the smaller man's body. Or maybe it was the way Tony fit into the crook of Loki's elbow so perfectly, and vice versa. Or the way the skin on Loki's neck and chest was silky smooth and cool against Tony's cheek. Or the way Loki's hair smelled. Or maybe it was just the bond between the two men extending out and warming both of their hearts to the point where they'd be nowhere but in each other's' arms.

Loki pressed a gentle kiss to Tony's forehead, and all of a sudden, Barton's words came back to him.

_Has he ever actually said it? _

"I love you, Tony," Loki breathed, his breath cold on Tony's ear.

"You too, hon," Tony replied, and Loki swallowed deeply.

"Say it properly," he said, his voicing pleasingly even.

"What do you mean, properly?" Tony asked, sounded confused and slightly pissed off.

"Say you love me," Loki whispered. "Go on."

"I just did, didn't I?" Tony sat up to look at him, perplexed. Loki bit his lip, then met the mortal's eyes.

"No. You didn't say it _properly_," Loki's voice adopted an underlying whiny tone. "Please, just say it."

"Jesus Christ, Lo. When did you get this _needy_?" Tony sounded distinctly pissed now.

"I'm not being needy," Loki pouted, but Tony didn't comment on the cuteness of it this time. "I just want you to say it."

"You said _I _was ruining this moment," Tony said, swinging his legs out of bed. "Jesus fuck."

"Where are you going?" Loki sat up too now, frowning as he watched the smaller man get dressed.

"I don't know. Down to the workshop or to the bar or some shit," Tony grumbled.

"Are you mad?" Loki's voice was quiet.

"Kinda," Tony replied, not turning to look at the demigod. He heard the slim man sigh wearily, and then he did turn around.

Loki was now lying flat on his back, staring at the ceiling sadly. Tony went to him and sighed too.

"What's with you today, huh?" he asked, softly. "Is it just the hangover, or what is it?"

"The other day, Barton said…" Loki cleared his throat. "He said that you don't love me and that I'll struggle to get you to say it because it's not true. I'm being foolish. Ignore me."

"No. You're not being foolish," Tony pushed a strand of Loki's hair off of his face. "I told you, didn't I? Barton was talking crap. Ignore everything he said. He said it to hurt you. It's just not true – none of it, okay? I love you, Loki Laufeyson. Don't you ever forget that. Okay?"

"Okay," Loki simply smiled in response.


	12. Never Had A Dream Come True

_"I never had a dream come true,  
__Until the day that I found you."  
__**Never Had A Dream Come True - S Club 7**_

* * *

Tony and Loki didn't leave the bedroom again until late afternoon, when Tony decided he really had better get back to his work.

Loki wandered absent-mindedly for a while, too sex-weary and content to be bothered with reading, and eventually stepped into a first floor longue. It was occupied by Banner and Natasha, him sitting in an armchair, reading a science magazine with an expression of amused interest. She was sitting at one end of the sofa, legs tucked under her small frame, studying a picture of some nail design on her phone and looking, frustrated, at her own fingers. The television was on – some old sitcom that Loki knew Tony liked – but neither appeared to be watching it. They both looked up when they heard the door open, and exchanged a look before both flashing Loki an uneasy smile.

"Hey," Banner tried, his voice calm as usual though his smile was forced.

"How you doing? Thor said you weren't all that well this morning," was Natasha's input.

"I'm fine," Loki replied, with an equally uneasy grin. "Damn vodka, you know?"

"Dude, I'm Russian. You don't have to tell me about vodka," she laughed, and it sounded almost genuine.

Loki knew what was happening – he guessed Anthony had had the same conversation with his friends that they'd had in bed just an hour earlier. Something along the lines of _come on, Lo, you can at least try to be civil, can't you? For me? _And of course Loki couldn't say no to that, plus the god damn bracelet meant he couldn't exactly not be civil with them anymore. Being courteous seemed like the only option.

Loki seated himself at the other end of the sofa from Natasha, feigning interest in the television programme. After a while, Banner got visibly excited about something in the magazine and got to his feet, muttering that he 'had to tell Tony about this' before hurrying from the room. The air between Loki and Natasha was tense, awkward, but both pretended to ignore it.

After a short while, Natasha threw her hands up and groaned.

"I give up! The one time I try to do something girly and paint up my nails all pretty, I just fuck it up," she was talking more to herself than Loki, but he turned to her, head cocked curiously.

"Let me see it," he extended a hand and Natasha reluctantly handed her phone over. He studied it for a while then shrugged. "I could probably do that, if you would like."

"You're serious?" she raised one eyebrow. "Um. Why?"

Another shrug.

"Anthony has requested that I try and 'build bridges' with his friends," he replies. "Since I can't leave the building or use magic, I need something to occupy my time."

"I uh… I guess that's fair," Natasha swallowed, then handed the bottles of nail polish over to Loki. "Okay, big guy. Let's see what you can do."

* * *

Ten minutes later, Loki was finished and he sat back, satisfied. Natasha couldn't help marvelling at his work. The swirls and intricate patterns on her fingertips matched perfectly the ones on the picture – in fact, she'd even say they were better. It'd felt weird, having Loki paint her nails – she'd had other people do it before, that was true, but those were her girlfriends at teenage slumber parties and women in salons on forced daytrips with female friends as an adult. He was gentler than she'd expected, his touch light as butterfly wings and his fingers gracefully steady. He was cool too – cold, even. Natasha was at first shocked by the iciness of his hands, but she quickly got used to it. In a weird way, it was comforting.

"Well screw me, I did _not _have you down as the artsy type," she commented – and realised too late it was a backhanded compliment. Loki grinned, one eyebrow quirking upwards.

"I _do _have my talents, you know," he remarked. "I've actually always been, as you say, 'the artsy type.' When we were children, mother would do sketches for Thor and I and we would colour them in for her. I always was better at it than Thor."

Natasha blinked – she'd heard Thor talk about his parents and his childhood a lot, but not once in their few conversations had Loki brought it up. It was easy to forget that the pair were brothers sometimes, that they'd had the same upbringing, that they'd played together as children. It was startling to be reminded of it.

"I've never been much good at it," she said, at last. "I haven't got the patience to sit and draw."

"I can believe that," Loki commented and she looked shocked. He laughed. "It's a compliment."

"Oh. Uh. Thanks, I guess," she forced a smile. It was strange, hearing the thin man be… not exactly _nice. _But pleasant. Definitely pleasant. She knew it should make her feel safer around him but in all honesty, it did the exact opposite. To know he could be this damn friendly and at the same time know how cruel and angry he could be made Natasha question Loki's mental stability more than she ever had. If she didn't think he was a psychopath before, she definitely did now.

* * *

It was a couple of hours before Loki left again – they got talking about books they'd both enjoyed and films that Tony had forced Loki to watched that he hadn't _totally _hated. She'd got excited when he reeled off the titles, insisting he watch this one she loved, retrieving the DVD from Tony's cabinet and slotting it into the television. She watched Loki more than the screen; he was enthralled, she could tell, but when it was finished he dismissed it as simply 'passable'. She supressed a smirk. He and Thor were as stubborn as each other.

Loki found Tony in his workshop, tinkering with some kind of circuit board – Loki guessed it was some new addition the physicist had come up with for Jarvis. He glanced up briefly at Loki and grinned.

"Hey there, Shakespeare," Tony grinned.

"Hi," Loki sat down beside the smaller man, watching with interest. "What's that you're working on?"

"Just a thing," Tony said, being annoyingly vague. "How's it going?"

"Okay," Loki spun round absent-mindedly on the swivel chair.

"Been reading?" Tony assumed.

"No, actually," Loki pushed off from the desk, whizzing to the other wall, where he pushed himself back. "I've been in the lounge with Natasha."

"What, and she didn't kill you? Okay, what have you done to her?" Tony chuckled, amused and surprised at the same time.

"I didn't do anything," Loki repeated his back-and-forward journey, looking highly amused with himself. "I just extended a little common courtesy, is all."

"To _Natasha_?" Tony sounded disbelieving. Loki shrugged.

"Well, being a bastard is much more fun, certainly," he grinned devilishly. "But being bored and incapable of magic, there wasn't a lot else I could do."

"I guess that's fair," Tony had given up trying to work, and instead was watching his boyfriend fling back and forth across the room. "What did you do with her, then?"

"Talked. Watched a movie," Loki shrugged. "The Breakfast Club. It is _good, _isn't it? I like that Bender chap, reminds me of me as a teenager."

"Uh… yeah, it's a great movie," Tony was getting dizzy from the motion. "You wanna stop doing that? What did she do that's got you so hyper, huh?"

"Nothing," Loki shrugged, but came to a stop very close to Tony's own chair.

"So you talked and The Breakfast Club," Tony said. "What did you also giggle over boys and paint each other's nails?"

"I painted hers," Loki said, not noticing the sarcasm.

"What?" Tony spluttered. Loki smiled too and shrugged again.

"I've a steadier hand than her," was all he offered in way of explanation. "I'm bored. Let's do something."

"I can't honey, I've got to finish this," Tony turned back to his work.

"Oh, come on. You can finish it later," Loki pressed even closer, so their knees were together, and he leaned forwards, his hands on Tony's thighs. "I only need you for half an hour. An hour, tops."

"Oh, and what did you have in mind?" Tony raised one eyebrow.

"I'll give you a hint. It involves you, me, our bedroom, pillows and a blanket, and no – it's not building a fort," Loki raised one eyebrow seductively. Tony laughed.

"Christ, Lo, and you think I've got a high sex drive," he said, but he got to his feet and took Loki's hand all the same. "Okay. Let's go."

* * *

**A/N: **S Club 7 are the best stop looking at me in that tone of voice.


	13. Love You Down

_"All your friends think I'm too young for you,  
__You tell I can do what guys their age can do."  
**Love You Down, Ready for the World. **  
_

**A/N: **I didn't draw the pic I found for the new cover. Found it on Google images. I don't know who did draw it but full credit to the artist.

* * *

As soon as they got to the bedroom, Loki was pushing Tony on top of the bed, pinning him down by his shoulders and kissing him possessively.

"Mine," Loki all but growled into Tony's mouth. Tony panted, supressing a moan. He'd never admit it, but he loved when Loki got all possessive and dominant like this. Liked being made to feel like he belonged to Loki, like he was a _possession. _

"Yours," Tony agreed, his hands knotting in Loki's hair, and fuck, it was soft for all those split ends. "So fucking beautiful, Lo."

"As are you, dear," Loki whispered in Tony's ear and fuck, even his voice was practically orgasmic. He wanted to tell Loki that, wanted to tell him how much he loved the way Loki's hands felt on his skin, loved the way Loki's voice sounded. He so wanted to tell him that, so he tried his damn best.

"Thanks, Shakespeare," was what came out and that made Loki laugh. Tony groaned. "Fuck, your _laugh. _You're perfect."

"Far from it, but thank you," Loki's lips were latched onto Tony's neck, and his hands working at the buttons of the mortal's shirt. Tony's hands went to do the same for Loki, but cool fingers brushed his own away. "Ah-ah. Not until I say so, there's a good boy." Loki scolded and fuck, if that didn't endear Tony all the more to him.

"Bastard," Tony hissed and Loki chuckled again.

"Language, Anthony. Wouldn't want me to have to punish you, would you?" Loki was at his waist now. Tony raised one eyebrow.

"I dunno. Maybe that's exactly what I want," he hissed and Loki smirked.

"Such a _dirty _boy," he tutted. "Honestly. What _will _I do with you?"

"You can do anything you want to me, baby," Tony panted, pulling Loki down by his shoulders for a rough, passionate kiss. Loki smirked at that.

"Anything, you say?" he asked, and Tony nodded. "How about this?"

Loki's hands went up to tangle with Tony's hair. He tugged sharply – they immediately withdrew his hands with a pained yelp, clutching at his wrist and breathing heavily through his teeth.

"Fuck! Lo, are you okay?" Tony scrabbled to his knees beside the taller man.

"Fine," Loki said, through gritted teeth. When he looked up at Tony his eyes were wet. "No violence, remember?" he indicated the cuff on his wrist.

"Oh. Yeah," Tony swallowed. How could he be so dumb as to forget? He hadn't taken into consideration that the cuff might affect their sex life – but now he thought about it, they were both into roughing each other up, no matter who as on top. "I'm sorry, honey."

"Don't be sorry. It's not your fault," Loki sniffed, though he _did _partially blame Tony. Couldn't he have protested the cuff any more than he had? And anyway, Anthony had programmed the damn thing. Loki still wasn't entirely sure as to how the whole computer science thing worked but was sure there was some way Tony could've changed it slightly so as to ensure it didn't get involved in their intimate life.

Loki's attention was stolen quite suddenly by Tony's lips on his wrist, just above the cuff. He stroked Tony's hair gently and sighed, bringing the smaller man up to his lips with a careful hand under his chin. He pushed the two of them so they were lying flat on the bed.

Tony carded his fingers through Loki's hair, finding a single strand and fiddling with it, dividing it up and twining each section around each other. Loki let him for a minute, before laughing.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Braiding your hair," Tony held up the plait for Loki to see. Loki's brow furrowed.

"Gods, I used to braid my hair when I was a _teenager. _I stopped doing it when I was about twenty-two," he commented, and Tony looked amused.

"What you had like a phase?" he said.

"Oh, I had many phases," Loki smirked. "From what I've observed, Midgardian and Aesir youths aren't all that different."

"Except if you and Goldilocks are anything to go by, everyone on Asgard talks like they've swallowed a dictionary," Tony chuckled. "Y'know, I think I've still got a photo of me in my Goth phase somewhere. I'll have to dig it out for you, you'd love it, Rock of Ages."

"I would?" Loki quirked one eyebrow.

"Oh yeah," Tony cringed slightly at the memory. "I was all dyed-black hair and leather and studs and eyeliner. Right up your alley."

"Very funny," Loki raised both eyebrows. "I think you'll find I've never worn _eyeliner _in my life."

"Yeah well, you don't need too. I love your eyes. Fucking mesmerizing," Tony stroked his fingers over Loki's eyelids and the demigod shivered.

"Yours are beautiful," he said, leaning his forehead against Tony's.

"You're just saying that because I said it to you," Tony remarked, but he wasn't exactly complaining. Loki looked genuinely offended that Tony would think such a thing.

"I mean it," Loki insisted. "They're beautiful. Warm. Inviting. Never in two thousand years have I seen eyes so friendly."

"Two thousand years?" Tony repeated.

"Or thereabouts," Loki shrugged.

"Wait. Don't you know how old you are?" Tony sounded confused. Loki tutted.

"When you live for millennia you stop keeping count eventually," he said, nonchalantly. "The last birthday I celebrated was… four hundred, I think. Since then I've barely kept track. Mother would know, she always kept count of Thor and I's birthdays. But anyway, I digress. I'm slightly over two thousand, if my memory serves me correctly."

"Holy shit, Grandpa," is all Tony can think to say, and it makes Loki laugh more than it should. "Wait. Hold up, Macbeth. This means you were Shakespeare, like… before Shakespeare was Shakespeare."

"Um… yes," Loki's brow furrowed as he tried to make sense of what Tony had said. "I think we'll still stick with… damn, what was it we decided? Twenty-seven?"

"You know, it's kinda crazy," Tony commented, with a chuckle. "If we go with twenty seven, I'd be old enough to be your dad. But if we go with your actual age you're old enough to be my ancestor."

"It is odd," Loki said, thoughtfully. "Still. Age is just a number, isn't it?"


End file.
